I'm currently vacationing in an area where wireless signal is marginal at best...

A little searching hasn't returned the information I am looking for. Perhaps I am looking for something a little off-the-wall...

The location I am staying in does have an excellent high-speed Internet connection and wifi covers the entire cabin.

Since, my BlackBerry is currently using EDGE and signal is constantly fluctuating between a marginal signal and no signal depending on my location within the cabin and possibly which way the wind blows, I am searching for an alternative.

I understand T-Mobile offers their "T-Mobile @ Home" service which would have been a huge benefit for me. Unfortunately, I use AT&T that doesn't appear to offer a similar service... No, I will not consider switching carriers to T-Mobile.

Are there any third-party applications, such as Vonage, Packet8 Residential, or another low-cost VOIP service that have an app for the BlackBerry so I could possibly make/receive calls over the excellent WiFi network in my location?

Considering I run an IT/Consulting firm out, I will never vacation in an area that does not have WiFi service. I'm just needing something for those occasional vacations, or perhaps if something were to happen to the towers around my home leaving me without 3G coverage.

No VOiP app that I know about for the BB. Google Voice is out there, but it uses your minutes. Might be worth a look as I don't really know much about it.

ATT is currently testing a Microcell device which in essence puts a mini cell tower in your home. Not sure of the release date but it is under test in Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta and maybe other areas. You could use it as long as there is ATT coverage in the area (it uses GPS to verify your location and E911).

Thank you. However, I did look at the Vonage site... It does appear they are offering the service over cellular and or WiFi for the iPhone. The Blackberry app states the app uses local minutes, nothing about wifi...

VOIP over WiFi would be a GREAT addition for us faithful BlackBerry users...

Thanks for the suggestion. I did peek, but, unfortunately it appears they are not quite there yet...

Quote:

Originally Posted by wabbit

don't vonage work on a bb and use voip?

sorry not really big on voip but i keep seeing the bold and iphone adds on the tube.

Do you have a link or any information on this device? I've got some time to do a little reading...

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubdub

No VOiP app that I know about for the BB. Google Voice is out there, but it uses your minutes. Might be worth a look as I don't really know much about it.

ATT is currently testing a Microcell device which in essence puts a mini cell tower in your home. Not sure of the release date but it is under test in Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta and maybe other areas. You could use it as long as there is ATT coverage in the area (it uses GPS to verify your location and E911).

I guess I have been on vacation a little too long already. I kept reading your post as mentioning a "Mirocell". No wonder I couldn't find anything regarding this device. I re-read your post and then tried with the correct spelling, "MicroCell" and found a ton of information on it. A quick phone call to a retail store within the Atlanta test market brought about some great news!

It actually works via a high-speed Internet connection and creates a mini cell tower in the home, covering up to 5,000 square feet. It is not a cellular signal amplifier, so in areas with no coverage, the device will continue to allow devices to operate.

The device, at this point is $150. However, there are some concessions. This is a one-time fee if you wish to continue using your package minutes (I'm on an unlimited airtime package, so using minutes really doesn't affect me)... However, if you were on a metered minute plan, and wish to use the phone around the MicroCell device and the time not count against your package minutes, they are offering a $15 monthly package to do this.

Finally, the device is compatible with up to 10 users and should be available nationwide within a few months. So, it should be ready by the time I am heading out on my next trip.

Thank you for pointing me into the direction of this device. I'll definitely be purchasing this device when it goes nationwide. This will perfectly suit my needs and the needs of my travel companions also using AT&T.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubdub

No VOiP app that I know about for the BB. Google Voice is out there, but it uses your minutes. Might be worth a look as I don't really know much about it.

ATT is currently testing a Microcell device which in essence puts a mini cell tower in your home. Not sure of the release date but it is under test in Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta and maybe other areas. You could use it as long as there is ATT coverage in the area (it uses GPS to verify your location and E911).

I travel outside of USA a lot and was looking for true WIFI voip system that works like T-Mobiles. Unfortunately I have not found anything as smooth as the standard T-Mobile wifi voip which lets you call anywhere in America free from any country around the world provided you are in a wifi zone.

The closest I have found is a new product from Shape Technology. I have used Shape IM for a long time and I also trialled\tested Shape Skype for Blackberry. The Shape IM worked really well but the original Shape Skype was limited because it required the use of the GSM\Edge service which was pointless because while in Spain AT+T charged $0.99 a minute for the GSM\Edgeconnection which rendered the Skype VOIP pointless.

However, they just launched their beta version of Skype for Blackberry which uses true WIFI connection not the GSM\Edge. By this I mean you can shut off your paid cell phone service and just leave the blackberry connected via Wifi and use the Shape program to call people worldwide using Skype.

Full details of the product are available at:

shapeservices . com

I have tested it from my 8900 and it works reasonably well with one limitation. The limitation is that it is what they call half duplex (apparently due to a Blackberry limitation).

Here is how it works:

1. Using their program I can set up telephone numbers and call them via skype. There is a 6cent connection fee and then it is 1cent per minute or thereabouts.

2. Make sure I am in a wifi zone and then open the program and start to call the receiver anywhere in the world.

3. The program dials and connects to the person I am calling (the receiver). I can hear everything that they say - the connection from the receiver to me does not require any interaction from the receiver, it acts like any other telephone call.

4. The receiver can't hear me unless I press the side button on my blackberry 8900. This is the 'half duplex' issue. So I can hear the receiver and they can talk to me without doing anything but I have to press the side button when I want to talk (like I am using a walkie talkie).

Other than the requirement to press the side button, the service works reasonably well and uses true wifi (which is often free) rather than gsm\edge which you have to pay for by the minute.

In the setup/options section of the program you can set the system to only connect to skype when you are in a wifi zone or via Wifi and Gsm\Edge. I set mine to wifi only which saves you getting any data costs.

In practice I had to tell the receiver to wait until I finished speaking and leave it a second or so before answering because we can have full duplex (ie: simultaneous talking and listening in each direction).

However, at $29 it is worth it to me because I leave USA several times a year and always end up having to make phone calls from somewhere.

The other program that is worth looking at is Tigget Mail. Tigget works on wifi too. So you can use Shape Skype and Tigget Mail without any telephone service plan at all, all you need is a wifi connection.

Finally, if you call from USA to international destinations - try vonagemobile. It works seamlessly with Blackberries.

If you know of any full duplex true-wifi VOIP for blackberry or want to share feedback on the Shape Skype then email me at mark @ nadel . us .

I have looked high and low. I have looked at all the sites in this thread. I cannot find one application that works without using the phone service. I want something that works on the BB over Wifi the way Skype works on the Iphone. BTW Skype for BB uses the phone's service. Anybody hear of anything in the works?